Improvement in spoons, forks



UNITED STATES `PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE O; ROBINSON, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT `IN SPOONS, FORKS, &c.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 135,590, dated February 4, 1,873.

To all whom it ma/y concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE (l. ROBINSON, of Cincinnati, Hamilton county, State of Ohio, have inented a certain new and useful Improvement in Spoons, Forks, &c., of which the following is a specification:

Nature and Objects of Intention.

Description of the Accompanying Dra/wing.

Figure l is a perspective view of the under side of a spoon with my bearing-surface pro jections.V Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a fork with similar projections. Fig. 4 exhibits a spoon in perspective, having modified forms and constructions of the raised projections.

General Description.

When a spoon of Ordinary form of manufacture rests upon a table the convex side of the handle and the convex side of the bowl bear upon the surface of the table, and as it is movedr about Or taken up and laid down frequently, these points of bearing are subjected to excessive wear, which, in the` case of plated ware, results in ,the wearing away of large patches of the plating, and the exposure of large spots of the baser metal of which the spoon is originally composed. To remedy this evil, and limit the wear at these points to such a degree that when the plating atthe bearing-surfaces is worn oft the baser metal exposed will be so limited in extent, and have so definite a form as not to appear unsightly, I project from these points thin ribs or projections a., which are raised so far above the usual surface of a spoon or fork as to receive allthe wear at these points,

no matter whether the article rests upon a smooth table or a rough uneven surface, and

confine this Wear to a narrow and definitelyformed surface, so that when the projections are made of the same material as the spoon or fork, and the said projections are plated at the same time as the other parts of the spoon or fork, the projections will not look unsightly after the plating upon them is worn off; and when the said projections are formed of pure metal, such as silver, riveted or sol dered to the spoon or fork, the superficial shape or contour of the projections and the number thereof can be varied to suit the fancy, a-nd can be so formed as to be adapted for cheap manufacture for attachment to ware already plated.

Fig. 2 illustrates the manner in which a spoon or fork so constructed rests upon the table.

The projections c, when formed originally of the same metal as the body of the spoon or fork, may be struck up in dies to the form shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Then separately attached, they may be in the form of circularheaded rivets of silver, such as shown iu the handle of Figa, calculated, when badly worn, to still preserve a pure surface of pleasing circular form.

My improvement is specially designed for the manufacture of platedtable-ware, or ware intended for plating; but it is also serviceable to prevent excessive local wear of light solid metal goods.

Claim.

the body of metal of which the article is composed, for the purpose of receiving and detinitely limiting the extent of the wear upon the bearing-surfaces of such articles, substantially as set forth.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my' hand.

GEORGE C. ROBINSON.

Witnesses FRANK MILLWAED, RICHARD A. ROBINSON. 

